Whilst this wasn’t the best advert for football on non-League Day it wasn’t the worst either. Two mid-table teams with little tangible to play for cancelled each other out though both had moments when they might have taken a decisive grip on proceedings.
There were changes in the Ware team following Tuesday’s performance at Northwood. Jay Rolfe was unavailable so once again there was an adjustment to the centre back pairing with Josh Okotcha taking over. Max Granville, back from suspension, replaced him at right back and whilst his normal position is in midfield he had another good outing.
Meanwhile some of the names on the substitutes bench appeared to be for no more than cosmetic reasons with little expectation that players still carrying injuries would be likely to take the field. That said, Fred Burbidge started to struggle with an injury in the second half and the talk in the stands started to be about who might take over between the posts. Luckily that wasn’t necessary though how quickly Burbidge can recover to full fitness was uncertain.
As for the game, neither side was able to impress themselves on the other though after the early exchanges Biggleswade started to open up some opportunities. There was a close call after nine minutes when the former Hertford man Sonny Coughlin-Brown put a dangerous looking cross through the Ware penalty area with no-one from either side able to get a touch on it. Within a minute the same player was through on goal but Burbidge made a good save from close range.
For Ware, Theo Ofori recovered from a knock early on to start tormenting the visiting defence. Ofori can frustrate with his runs that take him deeper into enemy territory when it might be better to release the ball to a well-placed colleague.
He seemed to be doing so again midway through the half but on this occasion his ability to turn, twist and come away from tackles still with the ball took him past what seemed like half the Biggleswade defence. In the end he was tripped deep inside the eighteen yard box. Jon Clements converted the spot kick confidently and the game took a new turn.
Ware looked much better after this and it became clear that they were defending tenaciously whilst, further forward, the midfielders were constantly snapping at Biggleswade heels to discomfort them and disrupt their chances of developing moves.
Even so Burbidge was needed to make an excellent save, down low to his left to tip Rio Martucci’s shot round a post right before half time. There was some delay after this as the keeper was treated for the injury that was to trouble him for the rest of the game.
Ware’s improvement continued into the second half yet just when it looked as though they were taking control Biggleswade equalised with a well taken goal. A sudden break from the back saw the ball fired out wide to the right where Jordan Brown was released. With the Ware defence back pedalling Brown’s cross found Daniel Bond clear in front of the Ware goal with a simple chance for the equaliser.
After this the game was anyone’s but it was Ware who came closest to taking the three points when Joe Dearman’s shot from 25 yards clanged against Jasper Briggs’ upright and rebounded across the penalty area.
Ware’s undefeated run now stretches to nine games of which seven have been drawn contributing to a season’s total so far of fifteen in the league. It’s not quite a record, there were sixteen draws in 2014/5 (though from 46 league games) and fifteen in 1987/8 (42 league games) but it’s getting close to being one.
Ware: Fred Burbidge, Max Granville, Joe Dearman, Sami Moutawafiq, Chukuma Okotcha, Lewis Thomas, Theo Ofori, Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo, Jon Clements (Gabriel Chapps 75mins), George Ironton, Ike Okwusogu (Sam Mayuma 75mins). Unused subs: Johnny Allotey, Tom Kay, Mackye Townsend-West.
